A popular hike in the spring when wildflowers are blooming, the Lyle Cherry Orchard Trail has big views of the Columbia River, with balsamroot and lupines covering the slopes.

distance: 6 miles
elevation gain:  1,150 ft.
difficulty: moderate
drive time from Portland: 1 hour 30 minutes
parking pass: none
hike description: OregonHikers.org – Lyle Cherry Orchard Hike

Trail Map

The Hike

This was my first time on the Lyle Cherry Orchard trail and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it. I think I was expecting a bit more of a barren landscape that was flatter, but this trail has a bit of everything right now (except water). Interesting rock formations, lots of scrub oak trees, a section along the side of a steep ridge with amazing views, and plenty of wildflowers including balsamroot and lupines.

Note that this area is known for ticks, rattlesnakes, and plenty of poison oak. I wore long pants and long sleeves that had been treated with Permethrin to repel ticks, and I didn’t end up with any on me although my friend did have one tick on her. We didn’t see any rattlesnakes either, but heard from other hikers who did on the same weekend. Poison oak, however, was visible everywhere. As long as you watch where you step and stay on trail, it’s easy to avoid.